BY KINGSLEY EMMANUEL
Rivers United manager Finidi George is confident the club’s massive close-season recruitment drive will propel the team to the top of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
The former Super Eagles coach oversaw an extensive squad overhaul during the transfer window, bringing in a potent mix of proven NPFL talent and promising youth to bolster the Port Harcourt side following a frustrating previous season.
Speaking exclusively to ExceedFM.ng, Finidi insisted the upgraded squad possesses the quality needed to comfortably surpass last term’s achievements, provided the team puts in the requisite groundwork.
“The players we have now are better than the ones we had last season, and I’m optimistic they will do better than they did last season,” Finidi stated. “We just have to keep our fingers crossed, keep working hard, and see how we can get the players to the level we all expect them to be.”
The “Pride of Rivers” have been among the league’s most aggressive operators in the transfer window. The club’s 13-man recruitment blitz includes high-profile additions such as Salman Abubakar (Enyimba), Emmanuel Utake (Nasarawa United), Ugwueze Chinemerem Collins (Plateau United), Shola Oladunjoye (Sporting Lagos), and Mohammed Mukhtar (Kano Pillars).
United also raided Niger Tornadoes for a trio of signings—Ani Chigozie, Abdurashidi Dabai, and Ifeanyi Nchekwube—while snapping up Clinton Ezekiel (Bayelsa United) and Zalli Abdullahi (Katsina United). Lower-league prospects Chikamso Ameafula and Blessed Iyamu joined from Kun Khalifat FC, alongside academy graduate Sotonye Samuel, who earned a step up to the senior ranks.
Having narrowly missed out on their primary targets last year, expectations around the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium are surging. Finidi’s immediate priority will be integrating his new-look squad during pre-season drills to build a cohesive unit capable of sustaining a grueling title charge.
With pre-season preparations ramping up, the club’s faithful will be watching closely to see if their marquee summer business delivers immediate dividends on the pitch.
